We are great animal lovers – we have a Jack Russell – who was one of the very first dogs to have a passport, plus now have a true French toy Poodle, (only speaks French) that I rescued along with a third little Gypsy Jack I found beaten & starving abandoned by the road. Your much loved pet is very welcome.

However, please do bear in mind that this is a holiday house that will be used by folk who don’t think the same way as us pet owners...

So I’m afraid a few no – no’s

Please don’t:

Let your dog foul the garden.

Sleep on the furniture – they must have their own basket/bed.

Scratch or chew the furniture/fittings.

Leave unattended in the house/garden.

France is very tolerant of well-behaved dogs... some restaurants even let your dog join you for a meal. Our lad is trained to go under the table & stay there until we’ve finished, we always take a blanket or towel to put down for him, but do check, it is not automatic that they are welcome... Dogs are allowed on the beach.

We use a superb vet in St Lo – a bit of a distance well worth the trip as he is a small animal specialist, mainly cats and dogs, & has a magic way with animals.

The local vets around here are more geared up for farm animals, they will do a limited amount of small animals – passports are not necessarily their forte. Docteur Franz Marin speaks very good English and is meticulous with his paperwork for the export certificate to return to the UK. If a mistake is made your pet will be impounded at the port.

For peace of mind please do take the trouble to drive to St Lo. His address is 126 Rue Henri Dunant 50000 St Lo. Telephone number 02 33 72 07 07 (you do need an appointment) Please let him know that you are staying at our holiday house – just mention Johnnie Johnson the Jack Russell... he’ll know!!

The surgery is very easy to find - from Carentan come off the dual carriage way signposted St Lo Centre Ville and Hospital. The surgery is a further 200 meters down the hill from the hospital on your right - blue cross outside.

From St Germain you’ll come into St Lo at Agneaux - keep following signs for Centre Ville... when you go over the railway bridge and the river bridge the 1st roundabout take the Villedieu Road also signed HOSPITAL the surgery is up the hill on your right.

If for any reason Dr Marin is unavailable please contact me. you do need an appointment with him so telephone in advance.

One word of warning... the French don’t let their dogs socialise like we do, if a French person out with their dog, spots yours off the lead 9 times out of 10 they will scoop it up - so don’t be affronted - firstly the poodle is a bossy little beast and will try and sort out every dog it sees and secondly the majority of French live in apartment blocks or small houses therefore bigger dogs have not been fashionable - little dogs have always been carried and have become protective so will fight, thus this habit of not letting them mix. Also it’s because of Rabies - there have been outbreaks further south, not all dogs have been vaccinated against the disease so this is another reason the French don’t socialise their dogs.

We sincerely hope you all have a great holiday - and a tip for the dog look in meat fridge in the supermarket - there are packets of VIANDRE POUR LES ANIMAUX or POUR LES CHIENS... it’s off cuts from the butchers dept... steak everything - cheap as chips!!!

Medication, Front Line, Drontal etc. is all a lot cheaper in France... so do stock up with Dr Marin!!